Thursday, November 18, 2010

Winter Jasmine, Evergreen Groundcover Of The Day



 Jasminum nudiflorum
Winter Jasmine
Type Groundcover, vine, woody plant
Hardy range 6B to 11
Height 24" to 4' / 60cm to 1.20m
Spread 4' to 8' / 1.20m to 2.40m
Growth rate Fast
Form Rounded, spreading or horizontal and weeping
Exposure Partial shade or partial sun to full sun
Persistence Evergreen

Bloom Color Yellow
Bloom Time Winter
The flowers are showy.

Environment This plant tolerates drought.
This plant will grow in very dry soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy, sandy or clay.
The pH preference is an acidic to alkaline (less than 6.8 to more than 7.7) soil.

Leaf Color Green
Fall Color No change in fall color

Culture Notes Growing rapidly in full sun or partial shade, Jasmine is tolerant of many soils but should be supplied with ample moisture. Most jasmines are basically a clambering shrubby vine and can be trained to cover trellises, arbors, or fences; but this one works great to cascade down a retaining wall. Stray shoots will grow from the vine or shrub as they reach the ground and root. Pollen and fragrance can cause slight to mild allergy symptoms.


This low-growing, sprawling, evergreen climber with multiple slender stems is usually pruned into a rounded shrub or groundcover but it looks best if only lightly pruned so it maintains the natural informal shape. Plants are stoloniferous and spread, but slowly.

Pruning into balls or squares assures that regular pruning will be required. It is often planted along slopes to stabilize the soil against erosion. This is a wonderful trailing ground cover that looks great in flower planted on top a retaining wall.

Planting and establishing shrubsThe most common cause of young plant failure is planting too deep. Plant the root ball no deeper than it was in the nursery. In most instances, the root flare zone (point where the top-most root in the root ball originates from the trunk) should be located just above the landscape soil surface. Sometimes plants come from the nursery with soil over the root flare. If there is soil over this area, scrape it off. The planting hole should be at least twice the width of the root ball, preferably wider. In all but exceptional circumstances where the soil is very poor, there is no need to incorporate anything into the backfill soil except the loosened soil that came out of the planting hole. Never place ANY soil over the root ball. If a row or grouping of plants is to be installed, excavating or loosening the soil in the entire bed and incorporating organic matter enhances root growth and establishment rate.

Weed suppression during establishment is essential. Apply a 3-inch thick layer of mulch around the plant to help control weed growth. Keep it at least 10 inches from the trunk. If you apply it over the root ball, apply only a one or two inch layer. This allows rainwater and air to easily enter the root ball and keeps the trunk dry. Placing mulch against the trunk or applying too thick a layer above the root ball can kill the plant by oxygen starvation, death of bark, stem and root diseases, prevention of hardening off for winter, vole and other rodent damage to the trunk, keeping soil too wet, or repelling water. Regular irrigation through the first growing season after planting encourages rapid root growth, which is essential for quick plant establishment.

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